


Halloween

by Fabrisse



Category: Bewitched
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-03-02 21:56:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2827448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fabrisse/pseuds/Fabrisse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How does one cure lycanthropy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Halloween

**Author's Note:**

  * For [calliopes_pen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/calliopes_pen/gifts).



The hair on Darrin’s face was coming thick and fast, and Samantha glared at her mother in the guise of a little girl. “Mother, you put him back right now.”

With a wave of her arms, Endora transformed herself back to her usual demeanor. “Or what, Samantha?”

“Just put him back.”

“All right.” She began to wave her finger in front of her son-in-law and said “Pro…” She stopped. “That’s not it.” She started again “Per…”

“Mother?”

“I’m sorry, Samantha, I don’t remember precisely which curse I used.”

Darrin looked at his fingers becoming giant paws and said, “Sam! You can’t believe that!” It came out a little mushy due to the changes in his facial structure.

“Now, Darrin, mother wouldn’t lie about something like that.” She turned to Endora. “Would you?”

“No, Samantha.”

There was a long pause. Finally, Endora said, “Look on the bright side, it’s only for three days a month. Four tops.”

“That’s not the point, Mother.”

“Now, Samantha, think about it. He might have more ambition. And I’m sure he’ll be far more satisfying in other ways.”

“Mother!”

“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Time with a werewolf can be time well spent.” She took in her daughter’s glare. “All right. I could try a modification spell.”

Darrin said, “What would that do?”

“If I use the right one, you’ll be less hairy -- just look like you need a shave, all over.”

“And if it’s the wrong one?” Darrin asked warily.

Endora turned her back on him.

Samantha said, “You might be permanently transformed.”

“There could be an upside to that, you know. He’d make a terrific pet -- very protective of the little one when she’s born.”

“No. I want a husband, not a German Shepherd.”

“I could try for an Afghan. Or how about a standard poodle?”

Darrin drew himself up to his full height. “Now listen to me Endora…”

“Be careful what you say, Derwent, or I’ll make certain you can only howl.”

“Now, Darrin, you’re not helping. Leave mother alone while we try to figure this out.”

Darrin pulled her aside. “We have guests coming. They can’t see me like this.”

“I can do something about that, at least.” She turned to Endora. “Hold the fort. Do not change anything.”

Endora placed her first two fingers on either side of her nose. “Witch’s honor.”

***  
Samantha became an invisible passenger in the Tate’s car. Fortunately, the client and his wife were in the back seat. She waited until there was no traffic near them, and killed the car’s engine. She fixed the spell for three hours. If her mother couldn’t fix Darrin by then, the transformation would be permanent.

***  
She popped back in to find Darrin’s transformation had progressed more quickly than she expected.

Endora caught her look and said, “It’s just the externals. The workings of his, well, I suppose you _could_ call it a mind, are actually transforming more slowly.”

“That’s good news.”

Darrin tried to say something, but it ended up as just a whimper.

“Have you thought of anything, Mother?”

“Doctor Bombay.”

“Can he treat a mortal?”

“Can a mortal doctor figure out a curse cure? He really is the only option.”

Samantha bit her lip for a moment. She knelt in front of Darrin and scratched behind his ears. “Mother’s right.”

A whine came from Darrin.

“No, he’s not a witch doctor. He’s a doctor for witches.” There was another, longer whine. “I don’t know whether he can cure you, but I don’t know anyone else who can.”

Darrin laid his muzzle across his wife’s knee. 

Endora said, “At least he’s house trained.”

“Just find Doctor Bombay.”

Endora swirled her hands and vanished.

***  
She finally found the doctor in a public bath near Kyoto. Her first two tries had been in the Australian outback and the middle of the Buenos Aires Grand Prix. She outlined the situation quickly and Doctor Bombay was still swirling his yukata around his wet body.

Samantha had an eyeful before the coat fully closed, and Darrin moved in front of her. 

“Samantha, my girl, been too long, what? Last time I saw you was for the rainbow pox.”

“Doctor Bombay, thank you for coming at such short notice.”

“I don’t know why your mother thought you had werewolf problems. You look to be in the pink of health.”

“No, it’s not Samantha. It’s her husband, Dustbin.” She pointed to Darrin curled up on the floor.

“Simple decoction of wolfsbane will take care of that. Endora, you used to be quite good with potions.” He shook his head.

“Doesn’t wolfsbane kill mortals,” Samantha asked.

Doctor Bombay answered, “Yes, but that shouldn’t be a problem should it?”

Endora shrugged. “She didn’t ask my permission to marry a mortal.”

“Oh, yes, quite. Hmm.” A giant thermometer appeared in his hand and Darrin tried to dig himself under the sofa at the sight of it. “Now, now, no need to panic.” Doctor Bombay pulled him out by the back legs and put the small end of the thermometer in Darrin’s ear.

“Yes, yes, definitely mortal. Well. Wolfbane’s definitely out. I mean to say, it will cure the disease, but it will kill the patient. How long ago was he cursed.”

“It’s been about an hour and a half now, and midnight’s ninety minutes away,” Samantha said.

“Well, then, mustn’t shilly-shally.” He popped out. 

Darrin headbutted Samantha’s hand and she knelt down to meet his eyes. “Don’t worry. He’s just gone to get his herbs.” Darrin gave her the most skeptical look she’d ever seen on a canine face. “Well. That’s what I hope.” She scratched behind his ears again.

Doctor Bombay was back, fully dressed this time, with his leather bag. “Now then, I’m going to need a slice of rye bread, a spoon, and a bowl for him to drink out of. Oh, and two glasses of gin -- one plain and one with tonic.”

“I’ll get that Samantha. You get the things from the kitchen.” Endora busied herself at the bar and came back with one lowball glass filled with gin, a gin and tonic, and a martini. 

Doctor Bombay took the bowl from Samantha and opened three jars. He took a heaping spoonful of the first and said, “Wood of the Mountain Ash, burned to ash.” From the second jar, he took three creamy translucent berries and crushed them into the ash with the back of the spoon. “Mistletoe. Feed him the rye bread, Samantha, it will protect his stomach and has anti-lycanthropic properties, too.” 

He poured the gin over the mixture in the bowl while Samantha did as he asked, and Endora sipped her martini. After stirring the mixture three times clockwise and once anti-clockwise, he used an eyedropper in the third jar put three drops into the mixture while chanting a counter-curse. The mixture began to foam and bubble and Darrin whimpered when it was put under his nose.

“Drink it quickly, what? While the tincture of silver is still fresh.”

Darrin bent over and began lapping from the bowl. As he drank, he slowly began turning more human again, and when it was about halfway gone, he said, “God, that’s foul.”

“Bottom’s up. You must drink the whole mixture.” Doctor Bombay said, sipping his gin and tonic.

“Sam?”

“Doctor Bombay is the best witch doctor, well, doctor of witches there is.”

Darrin sighed, picked up the bowl, and dashed the rest of it back. 

“Good lad. Now, Samantha, call me if his skin turns blue or his hair falls out. It’s time to get back to my bath.” He transformed his clothing back into the yukata he’d been wearing when he arrived and popped out.

“Endora, let me…”

“Darrin. Mother’s very sorry. Aren’t you mother?” Samantha glared fiercely.

Endora looked between them and said, “Of course. I apologize, Dobbin.” She raised her eyebrow at her daughter. “And if I’m not needed here, I’ll be off.” She swirled her arms and winked out.

The phone rang before Darrin could say anything. “Larry? Where are you? Oh, well, of course we’re disappointed. Car trouble. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow. Of course I’ll bring the presentation. See you then.”

He looked at his wife. “Car trouble.”

“I made sure they were safe before I stopped it, and he couldn’t have seen you like that.”

“No, he couldn’t. So, is my skin blue?”

“It looks perfectly fine to me,” she said, and leaned up to kiss him.


End file.
